The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1887-06-16
The Test.

AGA A"oA0l . uouSe Will pTeCty alrS Oh
control which Mrs. Wells, the actual
aousekeeper, never resented or contra
iioted. Her beauty was of the. ex-
luisitely delicate type peculiar to
American girls Of the refined, educat =
I'd class-the aristocracy of this demo-
cratic land. Her hair of golden brown
covered her tall, slender figure like a
Veil in fine threads of richest gold.
Her eyes were a deep hazel. shaded by
long, golden-brown lashes. and her
features were cut as clearly and regu-
larry as a fine cameo. Hands and feet
we're small and slender, not thin, for her
whole figure was gracefully rounded.
But her greatest perfection was a skin
As fair, soft and spotless as that of a
miniature painting.
When the good minister christened
her he gave her the far from musical
name of Mary Jane, and Mary Jane
Trask was certainly her proper cogno-
men But she was May from a baby;
May in school, May at home, and
when, at eighteen, she came homo
for good,' with the honors of the
seminary embodied in her diploma,
here was probably not six people in
Wildhaven who knew her name was
actually Mary Jane.
She reigned in the village by right of
her lovely face, her kind heart, her
city accomplishments and her fathers
position, for old DR.. Trask was one of
The grandees of the place, though his
worldly means would probably sound
very small if named in dollars and
cents in Wall street.
Nobody wondered when MI. Pendle-
ton, the great city artist. came to
Wildhaven for the summer that he re-
quested the doctor to allow him to take
Miss Mays portrait, to introduce into
a scene he was painting of spring.
In his hands the well-worn subject
became a marvel of fresh creations,
and when he had made his many
sketches from nature he set up a great
easel and canvas, by Mays permission,
ina large, empty room at the doctors,
and began his painting in good earnest.
He had brought letters to DR.. Trask
from some old city friends, and in
Wildhaven the proprietors were not
iron fences against friendly intercourse.
Young girls were supposed to be
sufficiently guarded from insult Or mis-
construction by their own innate purity
and modesty, and when May stood for
her picture in the great empty room
nobody's hands were raised in horror
because no matron sat beside her. Her
dress for these occasions was of thin
floating muslin, cut to show her round
shoulders and arms, and her waving
golden hair fell unbound around her.
Upon her dress and in the hair were
scattered delicate spring blossoms, and
the small hands carried long sprays of
tender green leaves.
But once dressed and in position,
Mark Pendleton desired his fair model
to forget that she was sitting for a pic
ture, and exertad every charm of his
~apdAre-,~t. srs of conversation 10.
hat purpose. And May listened and
answered, modestly and intelligently, |
i'll she would grow interested in her
ubjects, when her large eyes would d.
ate with feeling, her cheeks flush to
~lellicate rose tints and her face intensi-
y its own beauty, till the artist sighed
o think how poorly paint and pencil
Gould reproduce the exquisite face he
He was somewhat older than May,
his great artist, who had seen Europe
n cities and all the natural scenery of
tote in his own land, who had read and
hought so much, and whose pictures
such high prices, but his
,eart was fresh and youthful as a boys.
md his love of beauty an undying
'ource of delight to him.
He had a tall figure and fine face,
With large, dark, s~oul-lit eyes, and May
thought him as handsome as he thought
Ter, which is saying a great-deal. She
proud if she could contribute any
hing to his great picture, and would
lush with pleasure when he asked her
sing a he worked Ito inspire his
delighted to pour forth her
lear, sweet soprano in his favorite
and see his face kindle to enthu-
;iasm at the sounds.
So they gave heart for heart in tho
ong summer days, often forgetting
wen the picture and each others faces,
Is they interchanged the deeper soul
ak. that draws true love in the strong
st bonds The worldly-wise man. the
yet of the great city, the artist whose
lame was a well-known one through
,ut the land, gave his heart to the gen
lie, sweet girl, who thought heaven
vas opened for her as she knew the
was hers.
DR.. Trask gave his consent signing
little at the prospect of losing his
'hild, and somewhat consoled by the
gift of the large painting of
where May, with flower-laden.
'ut-stretched hands, seemed advancing
rom the depth of forest glade to meet
Tim.
The wedding day was fixed for Oc-
;ober, and Mark Pendleton returned to
to prepare a home for his
1t. was August when he left